The Legend of the Black Fury
by Fossil Geek
Summary: A boy in a rural community in 1830 New Jersey discovers a dragon, befriends the creature, meets a vampire girl, and the three go on an adventures to make the world a safer place, not only for dragon kind, but for everyone.
1. Chapter 1

_I had an inspiration to write another story today. It will start off with me remaking the overall "How to Train Your Dragon" story. It will soon become a massive crossover with multiple movie characters appearing. This is The Legend of the Black Fury._

* * *

 _This is the story of my life. If you wish to embark on this journey with me, do not stop reading. This tale will be full of twists, turns, speed, and fire. If things like bloodshed or sacrifice make you fearful enough to not press on, stop reading now._

A ball flew over Ian's head as he ran by a group of kids playing, the spherical object bouncing across the dirt road. Ian, lightly running towards the town hall meeting, stooped quickly to scoop it up in one hand, tossed it back to them, and continued on his way.

The main place where people would meet was the town's school building, which also functioned as a church and town hall for the town. This night, they were going to discuss a matter that the entire town was worried about.

As he approached the building, he already heard the sound of a large group of people conferring inside. The heavy, wooden doors were fashioned from oak, and quietly creaked when he opened them. Not that anyone could hear the sound over their own loud conversations. Standing quietly in the back of the room, Ian could see clearly to the front of the room, where a raised desk was located, with Mayor Johnson preparing his papers in front of him. As soon as he finished, the mayor picked up the wooden gavel, and tapped the wooden plate on the desk.

"Order, Order!"

The room quieted quickly.

"This town meeting has come to order. We are here to discuss a string of recent attacks that I'm sure everyone is aware about," Mayor Johnson said as he lifted one of the papers in front of him. "To review: On March 13th, 1830, Mister Jones' cattle were attacked, and he lost a newborn calf. All that remained was the bell that was around its neck and a pool of blood. March 30th, the Jacobs family found a young doe hanging in a tree, scratch marks along its flanks and partially eaten. April 4th, Mister Smith and his sons were hunting, and came upon the skeleton of what is assumed to be Mister Jones' calf, the bones disarticulated. Things were quiet until just a few days ago, when the east wall of Mister Smith's chicken coop was smashed open, and seven hens and two roosters were missing. What these attacks have in common is that they all occurred at night.

"We have assembled here today to talk about a plan of action. If any of you here have even the slightest inkling of a possible solution, please speak now."

"I am considering moving away from this place, as it is unsafe for me to raise my family," Mr. Jones said. "I feel that this is the best course of action for me, and I urge you all to consider this as a viable option."

"I say we all set off and kill the beast!" Mr. Smith exclaimed. "It's clearly a vicious and powerful animal. I saw what it could do with my own eyes on two separate occasions!"

The crowd made a few murmurs in agreement.

"What happens when it decides it is not satisfied with animals and comes after us?!" Smith continued. "Our wives! Our children! They could all end up as finely shredded meat before we know it!"

The crowd became a loud, large mass of sound that caused Ian to wince. He could make out some words in the yelling, such as " _Find it, kill it!_ ", " _Demon!_ ", " _Monster!_ "

Mayor Johnson banged his gavel on the table to regain order. "There will be no more outbursts in this meeting."

"What if we make it like a contest?" a small voice said. Everyone looked over to see Mary Johnson, the mayor's wife, standing.

"She's a woman!" cried Smith. "She shouldn't even be here!"

"Everyone here has the right to speak their mind in this room, provided they remain reasonably calm," Mayor Johnson said calmly. "Especially in a time like this." He turned to his wife. "What do you have in mind?"

"Well, if we make it like a contest," Mrs. Johnson said "People would be more interested in finding it. The more people that search, the higher our chances are of finding this animal."

People murmured calmly, nodding their heads slowly.

"This is what I propose," Mrs. Johnson continued. "If we offer up a reward to whoever captures, kills, or otherwise secures this animal."

Her husband was the first to speak.

"My only question is how much would we offer to the winner of this 'contest'?"

"I feel that we should let everyone come to some sort of an agreement on an amount," Mrs. Johnson said, gesturing to the crowd assembled in the room.

"Twenty dollars!" someone called out.

"Twenty-five!" shouted another.

"I propose thirty dollars," Mr. Smith called out, rising from his seat. "And not a penny less."

Nobody challenged Smith's offer. Thirty dollars was a huge amount of money, more than the average yearly wage. It would help any family financially.

"Then it's settled," Mayor Johnson said. "The person who captures or kills this animal will receive a reward of thirty dollars. This meeting is adjourned!" He banged the gavel on the table, and the crowd left. Ian walked to his house, at the bottom of the large hill where the building the Mayor's family took up residence.

Walking through the wooded area, of the path, Ian couldn't help but feel as if something was watching him. He felt something wet drip onto his shoulder. Reaching up to touch the liquid, it was sticky in his fingers. He smelled it. Blood. Looking up for the source of the substance, he saw a dark mass sitting in a tree. Squinting, he saw two velvet-covered antlers sticking out from the narrower side of the object.

A deer. The animal had killed a buck, and was storing its kill in a tree.

Glancing around frantically, Ian started a light jog away from the kill, sensing alien, predatory eyes watching his every move until he was safely inside his house.

Ian woke up to a loud knocking on his front door. Groaning as he got out of bed, he swung his legs over the side of the bed. Yawning, he stumbled over to the door in a sleepy haze.

"Good morning, Ian," said a cheery voice.

"Hey, Gabi, come on in," Ian said rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he invited her inside his home. Gabi was the eldest daughter of Mayor Johnson, and was soon to be married. "How's Jacob?"

"Oh, he's fine," Gabi said, her thick, British accent saturation her speech as she smiled at the thought of her fiancé.

"So, how long is it until the wedding?" Ian asked.

"One and a half weeks," she said, smiling as she set a basket of food on the table. "It's your usual, Ian: two eggs, a small loaf of bread, and a small jar of strawberry jelly."

"Thanks," Ian said, smiling as he gave a grateful nod. Gabi normally brought him breakfast every day.

Ian was an orphan, and one who Mayor Johnson took in. He was given his own small house near the mayor's estate, did not have to do anything regarding taxes until he turned nineteen, which is when most people got married, and was pretty well off as far as food went. Though he was sixteen years of age, Ian wasn't particularly interested in anyone right then, so he just went about his usual business, working in the forge.

Gabi left once Ian started the fire inside the wood stove. He set a frying pan on top, and cracked the pair of eggs into the heated cookware. He went to his small bedroom and changed into a nice, green tunic and a pair of brown trousers and fixed his messy hair, which looked like a bird tried to make a nest in it, but gave up halfway through construction.

When he came back out of his room, he flipped his eggs, which had browned slightly in the time he used to get himself relatively presentable. While the eggs cooked on the opposite side, he got out a plate, and set about applying jelly to the bread Gabi brought.

His eggs were done shortly thereafter, and he ate quickly so he could get down to the smithy.

On the way to his workplace, Ian looked about at all the things that usually went on in his town. The children were playing outside around the schoolhouse before their lessoned commenced. Some of the townsmen were repairing the fences around their sheep pens. He saw Gabi, off a ways, chatting away with her so-called "lady-friends" beneath a tree. Ian offered a wave, to which she returned with a friendly nod.

As Ian entered the smith's shop, he donned an apron and set to work, pumping the bellows to heat up the coals to a workable temperature. His boss, Mr. Daniel Janton, was off getting his cart fixed in Philadelphia, and since he would be gone for two weeks, he Ian was left in charge to "Hold down the fort" as Mr. Janton said.

Once the embers were heated up, he started the fire in the main fireplace to keep a ready supply of hot coals that he could add to the forge as he needed them.

He opened up the heavy shutters to the service window, and set to work, making a horseshoe that Mr. Jones ordered.

A half of an hour after Ian opened the shop, Jacob Stewart, Gabi's fiancé, entered the building.

"Welcome, Jacob," Ian said merrily as he worked on another addition to the healthy stock of nails. Metalworking always raised his spirits. "What can I do for you?"

"Well," Jacob said as he rubbed the back of his head. "I need something made for the wedding."

"Lay it on me, Romeo," Ian said, setting the nail in a bucket of water to cool.

"I need you to make the rings," Jacob said. "I don't have much money right now, barely enough for a bride price and to cover the ceremony. I don't need anything spectacular, just something that will work and looks nice. Please, Ian, I'm desperate. The wedding is almost here and…"

Ian held up his hand, stopping Jacob mid-rant.

"First, answer me this: Do you love Gabi?"

"Yes, with all my heart."

"Would you do anything for her?"

"I would move mountains for her."

"Will you treat her correctly, and not undermine her status as a dignified woman?"

"I will, and I won't," Jacob answered the questions in the order they were asked.

"Good," Ian said, satisfied. "Now, for the rings, would you want Gabi's to have some sort of pattern on it?"

"Yes, if you could, I think she would like it to have some sort of twisting pattern, like a vine, or her favorite braid that she wears."

"Okay," Ian said, nodding as he resumed making another nail. "I can do something like that. Now, it's tradition for the bride's ring to have some sort of gemstone, preferably diamonds."

"I thought of that, but I can't cover it," Jacob said with a defeated air.

"How 'bout, if you'd like me to, I do it for free?"

"Would you really?"

"Absolutely," Ian said, smiling as he tapped the small hunk of metal on the anvil into shape. "Consider it an early wedding present. And on top of that, I'll knock down the price for the overall rings a few notches."

"Oh, thank you so much Ian," Jacob said. "I really owe you for this."

Ian just smiled as his customer left.

 _He will be good for Gabi,_ he thought. _A real good, strong gentleman._

As the day wore on, Ian dealt with the usual things that went on in the shop. He did a few quick repairs when some of the townspeople brought him a damaged item. The day went by relatively quickly.

Soon, it was time to close up the shop. After twisting the key in the hole to lock the door, Ian turned around for the walk back to his house, wondering what he would make for dinner. An absurd thought most other men in the town would think. "Men don't cook, that's a woman's job," they would say. Maybe so, but when a man lived alone, and had little spare money to buy himself food at the town's café every night, he had to cook for himself sometimes. Ian considered himself quite good in the kitchen. About a mile away from his house, he heard someone walking up behind him. He felt to hand clasp onto his shoulders, stopping both him and his thoughts in their tracks.

"Hey, Gabi," he said to his friend, resuming his walk.

"Hi, Ian," she said, falling into step next to him. "How was your day?"

"Oh, uneventful thus far," he said with a shrug. "Yours?"

"Oh, the same I guess," she said. "Though I did pick out a dress for the wedding."

"When do I get to see it?" Ian asked. Though he didn't care much about clothing, he was mildly curious, and was happy for whom he viewed as the person who filled in the roles of both a mother and an older sister.

"Tonight, if you like," Gabi responded will a smile.

"Okay," Ian responded.

Soon, they arrived at Ian's house.

"Come on in," Ian said, opening the door and motioning her to go inside before him with his arm moving in an arch, stopping as it pointed into the house.

Ian went to the fireplace, and went about to start the flame. Within one minute, there was a merry blaze dancing in the hearth, lighting the room up with welcoming light in the approaching dusk, heating up some tea Ian had put on to boil.

The pair sat back in some soft chairs that Ian had placed near the fireplace a while back.

Suddenly, after about ten minutes of blissful, tea-filled silence, the loud sound of a gunshot came from outside, startling the two friends. Sounds of men yelling sounded throughout the streets. Ian rose from his chair, and trudged over to the window that overlooked the streets and the covered porch in front on the door. Pushing the curtains aside, he saw large group of men with weapons of many kinds: Guns, nets, whips, some even carried swords.

"What's going on?" Gabi asked from her chair, rising to take a look for herself.

"It looks like a hunting party," Ian said as he moved aside a little so Gabi could look.

"I'm pretty certain they're going after the beast," she said as she peered out the window. "Now

with more vigor than they usually would, as the creature now has a sizable bounty on its head. I hope those men stay safe. It's almost dark."

"Would you like me to walk you home?" Ian asked. It was customary for men to escort their female companions to their place of residence.

"I would yes," Gabi said. "Thank you."

"Not a problem at all."

On the way to the Mayor's residence, the pair passed by several groups of men carrying weapons and other trapping equipment. When they arrived, Ian turned towards Gabi.

"Take care," he said as his female friend entered her house. When the door shut, Ian turned and walked back to his house. It was dark out, and men were all heading into the forest with weapons.

Then, seeing all the male villagers hunting for potential fortune and fame, Ian got an idea. He quickly ran home, grabbed the key to the smithy that hung by the front door and a long, dark brown, hooded cloak, and dashed down to the shop.

Bursting into the room, he quickly located knife and a crossbow with its accompanying quiver of bolts. Clicking one bolt onto the line of the bow, but not cocking the limb, he ran out the door, shutting it as he went by, locking it, and stole off into the dark forest.

An hour went by, two hours. As Ian stepped into a stream, he looked up, and faintly saw a black mass moving around in front of the stars, well out of rage for his crossbow. Tracking it, he saw it glide down in what looked like a clearing, about two miles away. He quickly ran forward towards the treeless patch of land.

As he came close to the clearing, he heard the sounds of men yelling, combined with the fierce roar of what must have been the beast.

 _He'd missed his chance._

As he ran forward through the brush, he stopped just at the edge of the clearing. There was a large group of men, numbering about fifteen or so, surrounding a strange animal.

This animal was strangely proportioned. It had a large head, scaly black skin, scraggly teeth placed unevenly in its jaws, long claws on its hands, arms that could reach out and grab things. It was twenty feet long, and ten feet tall at the shoulders. On the back of the head and forearms were what appeared to be various sizes quill-like structures. The animal was bipedal, it's long hind legs supporting its body, which was covered in small, bony bumps. But what stood out

most at first glance were two light leathery wings, which would extend as a threat display occasionally.

This animal was a dragon. A freaking, honest-to-goodness _DRAGON!_

But this animal was different to Ian, out of proportion. The body seemed thinner than it should properly be, the eyes larger, the legs ganglier. This animal wasn't mature. It was a baby! Now looking at it from this new perspective, Ian saw how this animal wasn't attacking the men surrounding it, no, but the dragon was defending itself. The men used leather bullwhips to drive it into a net, where the dragon became entangled. The animal shrieked in terror, thrashing about fiercely.

Though this animal was most likely the one who has been raiding farms, it was just a kid, essentially, and based on its overall shape, it looked thin, as if it hadn't been eating enough. If this animal was malnourished, then its parents must not be around. Ian understood what it was like losing your parents, but he had people take him in. This animal was young, and it didn't have anyone to help it. Grounded in this philosophy, Ian ran forward, his hooded cloak fluttering behind him like a cape, as he yelled a vicious war cry.

"RRRRAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

He dashed through the crowd of men, causing them all to turn and watch him as the boy placed himself between the group of townsmen and the dragon. These men saw a vicious demon in the dragon, born of hell's fire. Ian saw a helpless animal, unable to defend itself.

"Ge' away from there!" said one man. Glancing his way, Ian saw that the man in question was Mr. Smith, but no one could tell that Ian was, well, Ian, due to the hood that covered half his face.

Ian quickly produced his knife, and glanced down at the young dragon, its jaws tied shut, its limbs secured against its body, its body and tail lashed down with heavy ropes. The animal stared up at him with wide, terrified yellow eyes.

Aiming his crossbow at the men, Ian swiped down at one of the ropes holding the dragon's mouth shut.

"He's freeing it!" a man said. "Get him!"

One man advanced quickly, cracking his whip at Ian and the dragon, which earned him a crossbow bolt to the leg, courtesy of Ian, who turned and slashed the ropes holding the dragon's head and neck down. Ian felt a whip crack on his cheek, pain screaming through his face, causing him to cry out in pain. Tears forming in his eyes, he turned to the nearest man, who was the perfect distance away to land a blow on him with his whip. In exchanged for a red, burning welt on his face, Ian retaliated with bolt to the man's shoulder.

The dragon roared in fury, using its newly freed arms and head to rip through the rest of the ropes restraining it. Ian reloaded his crossbow, during which the crowd of men rushed forward, their fortune now stretching its wings, shrieking in defiance at the men. A few of the men in the group faltered for a moment, but they were soon rushing the boy and the dragon before them.

Suddenly, Ian felt something large go between his legs from behind and his feet left the ground.

The dragon lifted its head, picking Ian up, and sliding the boy back to the base of its neck as its legs tensed and its wings extended and rose.

The men were pushed back by a heavy gust of wind as the dragon took off, soaring nearly straight up, only a slight angle in its accent.

"Oh my GOD!" Ian said as he rode the dragon upwards against his will, clinging tightly as he could to the scaly hide of the animal. "I'm gonna die!" Soon, once the dragon deemed they were high enough, and the flight leveled out.

Sensing the change in speed and direction, Ian sat up a little and thought about his current situation. The dragon apparently wasn't interested in eating him. If it was, it would have used its jaws to pick him up. The dragon had also placed Ian in the safest place it could; on its back. It was clearly very, _very_ intelligent. Feeling as though the beast wasn't going to eat him, Ian spoke to the dragon.

"You need to take me home. I need to get back." The dragon looked back at its passenger, who was clinging fearfully to its back, and grunted as it angled its wings and body to turn. Apparently, the dragon could understand him.

"Right there," Ian said as he pointed towards the town. "Just drop me off in the woods nearby. If the villagers see you they'll panic and attack you." The dragon glided downwards gently, its black scales giving excellent cover in the night, before gracefully landing on the ground and crouching so Ian could climb off.

"Thank you," he said, dismounting from the dragon's back. The dragon growled lightly, yet Ian wasn't scared. It seemed more like a goodbye.

As the dragon took off, Ian watched in awe at what had occurred.

He had found a dragon.

He had defended a dragon.

A dragon had defended him.

He had befriended a dragon, and the dragon seemed to have befriended him.

One thing was for sure. Ian's life would never be the same again.


	2. Chapter 2

Ian wrapped up the smithy's operation and shut the service windows, and shut the door. After locking the door from the inside, he ducked under the counter and pulled out a low wooden block that had been carved into the shape of an unusual saddle, and placed it on the worktable.

It had been two days since he and a dragon saved each other, and it did not fail to amaze him that it really happened.

After tracking the dragon the next day, a Sunday, Ian found it hiding in a cavern about seven miles away. When Ian entered the cave, the dragon lifted its head sniffed a few times, before rising from its crouched sleeping position and walking over to its human friend, to whom it crooned to.

Ian felt, after spending the day with his new companion, that the dragon was male, based on his apparent personality (or was it 'dragonality'? He didn't think there was any way to know), as well as his overall appearance. The black skin, body build, and intelligent eyes all pointed to masculinity.

Taking into the dragon's sparky attitude, Ian named him Firecracker. The pair went for a gentle flight after dusk had settled, for sake of the safety of darkness. It was really Firecracker's idea, as he picked Ian up the same way he had when the two saved each other, except, this time, Ian wasn't terrified like he was the first time, only mildly startled. Ian was quite certain that Firecracker would never hurt him, not only since he had several chances to do so, but his whole demeanor towards Ian was quite relaxed and even friendly.

Spending a few hours flying on Firecracker's rough, somewhat spiky back with no padding hurt, giving Ian serious aches. To remedy that, Ian had created the custom made saddle. It would provide not only comfort to Ian, but also security. A system of metal springed hooks and loops would attach to a harness that he had already created would hold him on, as he found out by flying with his reptilian friend that Firecracker liked to go fast. Very fast.

The only thing that he needed to do now was the leather covering, the gentle padding where the saddle sat on Firecracker's back, and the metal harness loops.

As he secured the leather, Ian found that it was fairly easy to attach via a series of small nails that were embedded into the underlying wood through.

The padding on the bottom of the saddle was simply a heavy blanket that was stuffed between the leather and the wooden block.

The safety hooks were attached to the saddle by being screwed on. It was too difficult for Ian to do by hand, so he took a scrap rod of metal, stuck it through the eye of the loop, and cranked the screw into the wood of the saddle through the leather.

After testing the safety straps on his belt harness by applying his weight, the saddle was ready for a good polishing.

Locating the shoe polish in the shop wasn't hard. The stuff was hiding on the top shelf of the supply closet. Lathering the polish onto the entirety of the saddle wasn't hard, but it took some time.

By the time Ian was finished it was about nine in the night. He heard a knocking sound on the smithy door.

"Ian, are you in there?" called Gabi's voice.

After quickly stuffing the saddle beneath a worktable in the back of the room, the boy in question launched himself over the counter to the door, where he slammed the key into the keyhole, hence unlocking the door, allowing him to swing it open.

"Hey," Ian said opening the door to reveal Gabi and Jacob.

"Where have you been?" Gabi asked, clearly frazzled. "I've been looking all over town for you! I was so worried, I had to get Jacob. I didn't know what happened, if you were fine, or if that monster caught you…"

"I'm okay," he said as Gabi stopped her anxious rant to embrace her symbolic little brother/son. "I've just been really busy today. The wedding's tomorrow right?"

"Yes," Gabi said, regaining some composure once Jacob placed a hand on her shoulder. "Promise you'll be on time?"

"I'll do my best," Ian said. "The entire town will be there, so I think I can keep the shop closed tomorrow."

"Okay," Gabi said. "So, can we walk you home?"

"Actually, I'm going to finish up here," Ian said.

"Okay," Jacob said, passing Ian a quick wink, to which Ian returned with a blink and a knowing look.

"Well, don't stay up all night," Gabi said.

"I won't," Ian said with a smile as the happy couple left.

Ian rounded the service counter, and picked up the bundle containing the saddle and his safety harness, after sticking his head out the door and looking around, he exited the shop, shutting the door silently, locked it, and stole off into the night.

The night was quiet and cool. Coming over a ridge, Ian saw the cavern that Firecracker stayed in. Jostling the saddle onto a better position on his shoulder, the boy strode up to his friend's home.

"Firecracker," Ian called. The young animal stuck his head out of the cave opening, and gave off a gruff hoot. Ian held up the bundle slightly. "I got something for you." Firecracker came closer, inquisitively sniffing as Ian set the bundle on the ground and removed the harness from the top of the pile.

Smiling at Firecracker's juvenile curiosity towards his human and the items he brought with him, Ian put on the vest-like apparatus. After clicking the front straps together to hold it in place, Ian tugged on it firmly. A perfect fit.

"Come 'ere, boy," Ian said as he picked up the saddle. Firecracker crept forward cautiously, sniffing at the object Ian was now holding.

Ian reached over Firecracker's back, and tried to put the saddle on him.

The dragon backed away, wary.

"Come on, now," Ian said soothingly. "This stuff won't hurt you."

Placated by the young human's words, the dragon calmed down, and lowered himself down to his clawed hands and feet, so Ian could attach the saddle.

"That's it," Ian said, softly placing the seat on Firecracker's back, guiding the small, round spikes into the pockets carved into the underside of the saddle's base. The dragon raised himself slightly so the human could go under him in order to guide the straps around his torso to the other side of the saddle.

After attaching the straps to the loops on the other side of the saddle, Ian tugged on the knots he tied.

"Okay, Firecracker, stand up," Ian said accompanying the command with the action of raising his hand with his palm facing up.

The dragon rose to his hind limbs, watching as Ian walked around, inspecting the quality of his work.

"That's good," Ian said. "That is damn good. Alright, boy," he said closing his hand to a fist. "Down."

The dragon dropped to his resting position, allowing Ian to climb on.

"That feels much better," he said, clipping the carabiners into the metal loops in front of him. "Don't you think, bud?"

The dragon shifted, unfurling his wings, anxious to get in the air.

Ian patted the dragon's right flank once, signaling the dragon to go. Firecracker gladly obliged. The sudden takeoff jerked Ian back, stretching the straps, but luckily they didn't break.

The wind rushed through his hair, his hands gripping the handles tightly. Ian had never gone so fast in his entire life. Apparently, Firecracker knew that the saddle would let him go faster without his rider falling off.

At the height of their climb, Firecracker leveled out, letting Ian adjust to the high altitude. Looking down at the ground, Ian saw that they were over his town. Luckily, they were high enough that anyone who looked up would not see them well, if they were able to at all. Gliding the dragon along, Ian noticed they were right over the butcher's shop.

"You hungry, Firecracker?"

The dragon growled in agreement, to which Ian pulled out a few coins.

"Dive," Ian said pointing at the ground. The dragon chick dove, shrieking. As the dragon approached the ground, Ian dropped the coins, letting them fall to the ground, and as they two started to rise back up, he grabbed some of the meat from the display window that the butcher always left open. Then he was jerked back into the air.

A flawless shopping experience via dragonback. And no one saw them.

Once they were back up in the safety of the air, the pair flew along gently. Ian tossed one of the steaks in front of Firecracker. With an excited yelp, the dragon dove after the slab of meat and caught it forty feet down. Gaining back the altitude lost from the short dive, the pair turned back to the cave.

On the gentle glide back, Ian noticed the wedding recession area was half set up. It was in a clearing that was located one mile from Firecracker's cave.

As the dragon landed, Ian slid off the saddle, and pet his friend's rough, reptilian flank. Firecracker crooned softly, a mournful goodbye.

"See ya, buddy," Ian said, giving the dragon the other steak they bought. "I'll stop by tomorrow."

After stuffing his safety harness in the saddle bag, Ian gave Firecracker one last pat on the chin, and turned back towards home.

The next day, Ian woke with a start. Today was the day of the wedding. He all but flew out of bed, and threw on his nicest clothes, combed his hair, and made himself a quick breakfast.

Afterwards, he made his way to the blacksmith's shop and retrieved the custom-made rings Jacob had asked for. Once the rings were safely inside his pocket, he strode confidently to Gabi's house. As he knocked on the door, he heard a lot of people inside the building.

Gabi answered the door in her wedding dress.

"Ian!" she said, her face beaming. She gave him a quick hug, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek in the same motion. Pulling away, she placed an eager hand on his shoulder and guided him inside. "Come in, come in. Everyone! Ian's here!"

The crowd of smiled in greeting. Making his way through the throng of familiar faces, Ian found Mayor Johnson.

"Ah, Ian," the mayor said in a greeting. "How have you been?"

"Pretty good, I suppose," Ian said, shrugging his shoulders. "I've felt a bit relieved since the beast hasn't attacked lately."

"As have I," Johnson said, nodding. "Perhaps it's moved on."

"Not just perhaps, but hopefully."

"So, when are you going to get married, Ian?" the mayor said with a cheeky smile.

"I don't know," the boy answered. "I haven't really thought about it, and nobody has really interested me that much."

"Fair enough," Johnson said, clapping his hand to Ian's shoulder. "I'll see you later, Ian. I'm going to talk with my soon-to-be son in law."

Ian could only nod as the mayor left.

Looking around, he located Gabi, who was surrounded by some of her friends.

Noticing him, Gabi excused herself from the gaggle of people and made her way over to Ian.

"You okay?" she asked.

"Yeah… more or less," Ian sighed.

"What's wrong, Ian? I know you, and whenever you distance yourself, something is wrong."

It's just...Life's going so fast. You're getting married, and I need to start looking for someone eventually. It seems like lately I can only stop every so often and enjoy life."

"I know what you mean… I can't believe this day is here."

Eventually, it was time for the reception. Everyone made their way to the clearing, where chairs were set up in rows.

Everyone gathered in the seats, with the bridal party to the right and the groomsmen to the left. The pastor motioned for the two lovebirds to come together.

"We are gathered here today to bear witness to the union of a man and woman. Once they are wedded, they will be one, as they have given unto each other their hearts. Their families will also be joined through them. If anyone here sees for any reason that these these two should not be wed, please speak now."

No one spoke.

"Then we may proceed.

"Now, whoever has the rings, please bring them forward." The pastor turned towards Jacob. The groom shook his head. Gabi looked disappointed.

That was Ian's cue to stand. As he rose, everyone turned to look at him. Gabi turned to look as well. When she saw who it was, she was first confused, then beaming.

Reaching into his pocket, Ian produced a small box and held it out to Jacob.

"Thank you," Jacob said. Ian nodded, then returned to his seat.

When Jacob opened the box, Gabi gasped. She knew Ian's work, and this wasn't any different. Jacob's was simple, yet visibly strong. Hers was very elegant, with a twisting braided vine gracing hers. On the top of the ring, the vines wrapped around a beautiful diamond.

Gabi took Jacob's ring from the box, and Jacob took hers.

"Jacob, do you swear to protect and keep this woman, for better or for worse; for richer or for poorer; in sickness and in health, so help you God?"

"I do," Jacob replied.

"And Gabi, do you swear to protect and keep this woman, for better or for worse; for richer or for poorer; in sickness and in health, so help you God?"

"I do," she replied.

"Place the rings on each other's fingers."

They did so.

"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you two man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

The two lovebirds came together and kissed, thereby sealing their vows.

Unfortunately, fate can be cruel sometimes.

As soon as they pulled away, a loud gunshot sounded throughout the clearing, accompanied by loud shouting. A group of men wearing handkerchiefs over their mouths and nose riding horses stormed into the recession. One man rode right through the grassy aisle, and swept Gabi up onto his horse, and started ride away, Gabi screaming curses at the men.

That's when Ian stood up.

"Hey!" he shouted towards them men. They all stopped and turned towards the boy, who had a sword on his hip.

"What do you want, boy?" one growled.

"You to let my sister go," Ian snarled.

Gabi's mind was racing. _Where did Ian get a sword?_

"What do you have to trade?" another man asked.

"Cold, hard steel," Ian replied menacingly.

"Not interested," the first man said.

Gabi saw a very large, muscular man ride up behind Ian, and hit him over the head, sending him to the ground.

"Ian!" she cried.

Then, the men stole off with her, taking her away to Lord-knows-what atrocities.

Groaning, Ian rolled over, only mildly hearing the screaming of the crowds.

"It's coming!" someone screamed. "It's going to kill us all!"

Through a lot of incoherent screaming, Ian felt something large scoop him up, and a large jerk brought him back to reality. Opening his eyes, Ian saw the ground rushing away from him. When he looked up, he saw that all-too-familiar reptilian face with large conical teeth.

"Firecracker!"

The dragon gave off its gruff hoot as a greeting and he leveled out his flight. Ian started to climb out of the dragon's hands and clambered onto the saddle. Luckily, he had the foresight to put the in safety harness in the saddle pack, but the lack of foresight to take the saddle off. Sometimes forgetting things can be beneficial.

As he clicked the harness together, attaching the safety straps to the saddle, he chastised the dragon.

"You're a dork, you know that?"

The dragon glanced back at his human with a gaze that said ' _And your point is…'_

"Never mind. Let's got to work." Ian pointed at the ground. "Dive!"

The dragon dove, charging down straight towards the earth, his wings folded hin.

"WOOOOO HOOOOOOO!" Ian screamed. It felt so exhilarating to be flying straight at the ground.

On the ground everyone was panicking when the dragon started to dive again, but when they heard Ian's exhilarating yell, people watch in fear as the local boy rode the beast. Surely it must be a form of witchcraft to have a monster like the one Ian was riding to obey commands.

Just when they were at the level of the tree canopy, Ian signaled with his hand for Firecracker to level out.

Firecracker spun, leveling them out, while not losing any speed.

"That way, bud," Ian shouted, pointing with his hand to the group of horses that were galloping at full speed. The dragon turned slightly, and increased speed slightly. The horses were fast, but no horse ever born could move this fast.

They were upon the horses in minutes. Down below, Ian could see the ensuing panic. He saw the lead man, the one who had Gabi, shove the girl off his horse, in a last-ditch attempt to buy him and his men some time, no doubt as a sacrifice to stave off the oncoming doom.

Gabi saw the beast coming, its dark hide in sharp contrast to the light blue sky. She screamed as its large forelimbs snatched her off the ground, and flew off with her.

Once they cleared the canopy, the wedding recession was already in sight.

 _I'm going to die!_

Before she could form another thought, she was gently set on the ground, and she watched as the dragon took off straight up into the air.

She turned and saw Jacob running up to her.

Ian felt the the safety straps straining against his weight. His fingers ached from holding onto the handles, but he didn't care. Signaling for Firecracker to level out, he looked towards the men. He saw them conferring, then they charged back towards the recession.

 _They never know when to give up._

"Head down, bud." The dragon went into a fast, yet controlled, spiraling glide down to the ground.

The men on horses burst through the treeline. Jacob stepped in front of his new wife protectively.

Suddenly, the black monster slammed down on the ground, extending its wings a bit and growling menacingly, which caused the horses to panic.

The leader of the men dismounted from his steed, handed the reigns to another man, and pulled out his sword before striding forward.

The figure on the beast climbed down from his saddle and strode forward. Gabi gasped when she saw who it was.

 _Ian?!_

"You," the man said dangerously.

"Aye," Ian said.

"On guard!" the man said, swinging his sword at Ian's head. Just when the blade was about to split Ian's skull open, the boy felt something pull his legs out from underneath him. Looking up, he saw Firecracker, standing protectively over him, roaring furiously. Ian rose to his feet, and set a calming hand on the dragon's left flank. Firecracker settled down, his eyes closing in relief for a moment before the pair turned back to the group of men before them. Ian stepped in front of his reptilian comrade, placing a gentle hand on the space between his nares.

"You know, right now, he would love nothing more than to rip your throats out."

The lead man glared at the boy before he barked an order.

"Kill them both!"

A man raised a gun and aimed it at the boy.

Ian heard a sizzling behind him, turning around he saw Firecracker opening his mouth, heat pouring out, an orange-ish light beginning to glow in the back of his throat. Ian quickly ducked down, very confident in what he thought was about to happen.

With the loud sound of a cannon, a vicious stream of fire shot out of the dragon's gullet, a loud roar blasting through the air. The man aiming the gun misfired into the air as he jumped out of the way of the blazing jet, yelling in terror. The lead man swore in pain angrily as the edge of the stream singed his arm, the fabric of his shirt burning, his skin reddening.

The men scrambled about, trying to dodge the dragon's fire attacks, in an attempt to mount their horses and get away alive.

Deciding they weren't moving fast enough, Firecracker felt he could hurry things along by charging. This certainly encouraged the retreating men to quicken their pace.

Soon, they were all more or less on their horses and galloping away as fast as their horses could.

With a final shrieking roar that started high, then lowered in depth and pitch, Firecracker turned and strode back to his human.

Crooning gently, the large dragon's temperament turned from what would fit a hellion to what was more along the lines of a playful kitten. The young animal pinned Ian down with a scaly hand.

"Oh, no! Please!" Ian said playfully as he struggled against the dragon's 'attacks'. " Agh! It's ugly!" The dragonlet batted at the human beneath him with his free foreclaw. "Dragons and humans, enemies again!"

The young animal dropped his head down onto the human.

"Aaaauuhhh," Ian imitated a dying sound.

Gabi inched closer, causing the dragon to snap his head up and turn to the approaching stranger. Gabi faltered her approach at the threatening display. Jacob took her arm, holding her in place.

Ian rose from the ground and placed himself between the crowd of townspeople and the dragon. This relaxed Firecracker, but the people were still on edge.

"Ian?" Gabi finally said, extremely, yet understandably, nervous.

"It's alright," Ian said calmly. "If you don't try to hurt me, he won't hurt you."

Gabi took a tentative step forward, but stopped when her father stepped forward.

"No," the mayor said. "Ian, you were with this beast the whole time?"

"No, we became friends a week and a half ago."

"You mean you enchanted this beast a week and a half ago."

"No, we befriended each other a week and a half ago," Ian insisted.

"You're a sorcerer," the mayor stated accusingly.

"Father," Gabi said. "Stop."

"Stay out of this," her father barked, then turned back towards Ian. "I thought that by raising you, I would be doing you a favor, teaching you how to be a proper gentleman. And I thought I had succeeded. But then you go and do something like this… I distinctly told you that witchcraft is forbidden!"

"It's not witchcraft," Ian insisted, removing his hand from Firecracker's snout.

Gabi took a step forward, towards the dragon and her 'brother', with Jacob going with her. Ian reached out a hand to them.

"Stay away from him!" Mayor Johnson roared.

Gabi froze, unsure of whether to move away or not.

Firecracker looked on curiously. It seemed that the female human wasn't a threat, nor her mate. But this large male human making loud noises seemed like trouble.

The young female looked close to tears. In an attempt to comfort her, Firecracker moved forward, nudging her shoulder.

Ian smiled, but it was short lived because the mayor bellowed again.

"Stay away from my daughter, you monster!" he said, rushing forwards, shoving Gabi aside, sending her sprawling on the ground.

The dragon snarled at the rough treatment of a female. The mayor stood his ground, but the dragon stared the competitor down.

"Leave," the mayor said to Ian. "Take your beast and go. I never want to see your face again."

"But, Father…" Gabi began.

"Here this, everyone!" the mayor said. "Starting tomorrow morning, the bounty on the beast in doubled if you bring this boy in with it!"

Shaking his head slowly in disbelief, Ian backed away slowly, until he was next to Firecracker's right flank. He hauled himself up, and Firecracker didn't need any cue to take flight.

That night, Ian flew Firecracker to the blacksmith's shop. After grabbing some repair tools for the saddle, a small, travel-sized anvil and a set of billows, his crossbow and a set of bolts, he ran outside and put the items in Firecracker's saddlebags. Once the bags were secured, the pair took off towards the cave.

But two people saw where they were going.

As Firecracker alighted on the ground outside the cavernous hole, Ian rubbed his scaly friend's neck.

"We're heading out on a long flight, bud," he said, climbing down from the saddle.

Sensing the troubled emotions coming from his human, the young dragon reached his head around to his rider and nuzzled him.

"Thanks, Firecracker."

From the woods behind them, the two members of two very different species heard a branch snap. Whipping around, Ian saw the newlyweds, Gabi and Jacob, stepping out into the clearing. Jacob was carrying a bundle of items that were wrapped in cloth.

"Ian," Gabi said. "Don't leave."

"Why shouldn't I?" Ian said. "In the morning, I will be a target of opportunity. Anyone who wants to make a fortune will be after me. Knowing Firecracker, he will undoubtedly attack them to defend me, therefore they will get him as well."

Gabi sighed, knowing there was no way to stop Ian from leaving.

"Since there's no feasible way for me to make you stay here, at least let me give you some things than can help you."

Gabi took the fabric and held it up. It was a new hooded robe, but this one wasn't brown like Ian's current one, but jet black.

"I made it dark to help you hide in the night more effectively," Gabi said.

"I love it," Ian said. "Thank you."

Gabi took the rest of the bundle from Jacob, and placed it in Ian's arms.

"There's a small pot, a small frying pan, a spoon, a fork, a dagger, and other things that I thought might help you."

"Thanks a lot, you guys," Ian said, smiling. "Really. I truly appreciate this."

"Where will you go?" Jacob asked.

"North," Ian said. "Then maybe East, to Northern Europe. I think there may be more dragons there, and I think they need help. Since dragons do exist, then the legends must be true as well."

Firecracker came over and nudged Ian.

"We have to go," the boy said.

Gabi rushed forward, throwing her arms around Ian, pulling him into a squeezing embrace.

"Be safe, and come home," she said quietly. Ian could hear the tears in her voice.

"I will," he said as Gabi released him.

"Take care of him, Firecracker," Gabi said to the black dragon, who was nosing his way into their goodbye. The dragon crooned in response, rubbing his head against the female human's shoulder. It was clear that she cared deeply for his human.

"And you two take care of each other," Ian said. "I expect a kid to be, at least, on the way when I get back."

Jacob blushed to a shade of deep pink at hearing this, while Gabi just laughed.

As the young couple walked back to their house, Ian continued to get ready. He placed the things Gabi had given him in the saddlebags, but he paused when he came to the black robe. He slid the long garment over him, and found it to be very light. The hood covered his eyes all the way to his nose. His harness slid easily over it when he put the safety mechanism on.

"Firecracker, down," Ian said. The dragonlet hunkered down, allowing Ian to climb into the saddle.

There was no turning back now.

Ian patted the dragon's right flank, and the dragon took off slowly, flapping his leathery wings, gaining altitude.

At Jacob's house, the townspeople were all gathered to see the newlyweds enter their new home.

"There you two are," the mayor said as the lovely pair walked up through the crowd. Everyone was congratulating them on their marriage. "And where have you two been?"

"For a walk," Gabi said. Some of the women in the crowd sighed wistfully.

"Well," Jacob said. "Welcome home."

As Jacob help Gabi up to the doorstep, a loud roar blasted over the congregation, causing the people to scream. Gabi tore away from her husband and looked to the sky.

Hovering just at treeline was the black dragon, with Ian clearly visible on its back. He waved down at the couple, who returned the gesture.

"What's he doing here?" Mayor Johnson asked Gabi, who was smiling at the sorcerer.

"Saying goodbye," she said sadly.

Firecracker shot out a blast of flame into the air, and the duo did an aerial somersault, spinning off, heading north.

Ian took one last look back at the crowd, and saw Gabi standing with Jacob. Everyone there was watching them depart.

 _Goodbye, Gabi._

 _Goodbye, Ian. Come home safe._

Ian and Firecracker flew on through the night. Near daybreak, the pair of runaways came to a forest somewhere in Massachusetts.

"Let's land, Firecracker," Ian said. The dragon had no qualms about doing so. He may be a great long-distance flyer, but even he, like all animals, had his limits. There was a light mist in the early morning gloom. After settling down lightly, Firecracker waited patiently until Ian was finished removing the sacks of equipment and the saddle.

As Firecracker perched on the ground like a gigantic, reptilian crow with teeth and a long tail, Ian went about organizing their gear. Most of it was in good condition, as he had packed the items with the fabrics he had brought along. Just a few things jostled about during the flight. This was understandable.

"I'm going into the town for a bit," Ian said.

The dragon stared at him for a moment, then closed his eyes, ready for a nap.

Ian walked off towards a small town that he spotted while airborne. It wasn't too far, and it was a nice morning for a walk to stretch his legs. A light breeze was blowing.

In about a half hour, Ian located the town. The shop owners were just starting to open. Looking around, he saw many families walking around, beginning their day. A young woman, possibly about twenty years of age, who had wavy, brown hair noticed Ian looking about.

"Excuse me, young man," she said. "I could help me with my horses? My husband is getting some things of ours mended."

"Of course," Ian said walking up to the woman. "My name is Ian."

"I am Rosalie." The young woman led him to a small, wooden house with a handsome barn behind it. There was a trio of horses inside the barn.

"I just need some help getting these three out to the pasture over there," the woman said, pointing to a fenced enclosure.

Ian nodded, and took the ropes that were tied around two of the horses. When Ian clicked his tongue, the pair of animals walked behind him obediently. The woman took the other horse, which followed her.

Once the three horses were in the paddock, Ian smiled and gently took the woman's rope from her hand.

"Here," he said, gently removing it from her hand. "Let me take this for you." He jogged back to the barn and hung the ropes on a hook. When he returned to the woman, he nodded that the ropes were hung up.

"Have you had something to eat yet this morning?" Rosalie asked. Ian shook his head. "Come inside, I'll cook you up something as a 'thank you'."

"Oh, you really don't have too…" Ian began.

"Oh, I insist," she said, taking the boy's hand.

Ian pondered for a moment before giving a smiled nod. Rosalie was pleased at this, and led him to her home.

Opening the door to her small house, she smiled.

"Come in, come in," she said, beckoning the boy inside. Ian gladly accepted. As he was ushered inside, Ian looked around the interior the small building. There was a small fireplace, and a wood stove that was used for cooking. A small, square table sat in the center of the room, with four chairs surrounding it. She held out her hand, into which Ian placed his black cloak.

"Would you like some eggs and ham?" Rosalie asked.

"Yes, please," Ian replied. As Rosalie prepared Ian's breakfast, she was curious about the boy.

"So, Ian, tell me," she began. "Where are you from?"

"New Jersey."

"That's quite a ways away," she commented. "And you're traveling all by yourself?"

Deciding against telling the woman about Firecracker, Ian improvised.

"Yes, but I have a good amount of experience and a fast mount." Not exactly a lie.

Smiling as she cracked the eggs into the frying pan, Rosalie seemed pleased with the answer.

"Well," she said. "While those are cooking, I need to inform you about something that has been going on in this region for the past few months."

"Okay..." Ian said slowly, unsure of where this was going.

"For the past few months, there have been feedings happening to some of the families."

Ian gasped. He'd heard about these.

"You don't mean..."

"Mhm," Rosalie said, nodding grimly. "Vampires."

The very mention of the word sent fear into Ian's heart. Humanoid beast which couldn't be out in the sun, slept in coffins, gained sustenance through drinking the blood of mortals, and could only be killed by a shot to the head, burning, or a stake through the heart.

The eggs were then finished, along with the ham, which had been sizzling in the pan with them.

Setting a full plate in front of him, Rosalie, looked out the window.

"You had best be careful out there, Ian. Those beast know no mercy. Do you have any weapons on you?"

"I have a knife, a sword, and a crossbow," he said nodding.

"A good selection," Rosalie said. "You eat up. I'll go get changed."

Right after Ian ate his breakfast, he heard Rosalie calling him from the back room.

"Ian, could you be a dear and come help me?"

Wiping his mouth with a napkin, Ian rose to what go see what Rosalie needed. He didn't mind helping the woman. She was very kind, and she always had a pleasant smile.

As he entered her room, he saw her facing away from him, struggling to put on corset.

Blushing profusely, she glanced back at him.

"Could you help me with this?"

"Uh..." Ian, realizing he was staring with his mouth open, nodded his head, shutting his mouth. "Sure."

Ian walked up to the young woman, and took the ties of the garment, and placed a gentle yet firm foot on the woman's back, wrapping the ties around his fingers.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Ready."

Ian pulled on the strings, constricting the woman's torso. After a second or two of hard pulling, Ian relaxed.

"Tighter?"

Rosalie nodded.

Swinging his leg up again, Ian braced himself, and pulled tightly. Rosalie gasped, placing a hand on her stomach.

"That's good," she gasped out. Ian quickly tied the straps in the back, and when he finished, Rosalie relaxed her breath, exhaling quickly.

"Think of how awkward it would be if your husband came in and saw us right now," Ian mused.

"I know," Rosalie agreed. "Thank you."

Ian nodded and left. He was admiring the painting that hung above the fireplace when Rosalie emerged, wearing a dark red dress and a white bonnet.

"Thanks so much," she said.

"Not at all a problem," Ian said, turning towards the door. "I think I should press on."

"Oh, okay," Rosalie said, seeming slightly disappointed. "Are you going to keep proceeding on your journey?"

"No, I think I'll stay for a day or two. I need a few supplies before I head out."

"Would you be interested in visiting again?" Rosalie asked, her big, brown eyes staring into Ian's.

"Absolutely," he said with a nod. "I don't know when though."

"Oh, you'll always be welcome here," the young woman said.

"I appreciate the hospitality."

Rosalie reach to retrieve Ian's hooded cloak, stretching to grab the garment. Once it was in her grasp, she handed it to the boy.

"Thank you," Ian said, putting on the cloak. "Thank you for the breakfast as well."

"Oh, it was not a problem."

"Also thank you for your gracious hospitality," Ian said as he took the woman's hand and kissed the top of it.

"You're very welcome."

Just as Ian was reaching for the door, Rosalie planted a kiss on his cheek. Ian smiled at the gesture.

"Goodbye."

"Goodbye. Come visit me again."

"I'll do my best." And with that, Ian left, going back up to his camp.

When he arrived back at the landing site, Firecracker was waiting for him, sitting on the ground, still in a birdlike pose. The blood around his mouth indicated that he had found something for his breakfast.

"Hey, bud," Ian said, patting the reptile on the head. The dragon crooned, pressing his head against his human's hand.

The pair spent the entire day together. They couldn't go flying as they would've like, due to it being daytime, but they spent the majority of the day relaxing in the sun. Around dusk, the human and dragon settled down for supper. It was Ian's first time eating brook trout cooked over dragon's fire. In Ian's opinion, it was quite good. Firecracker couldn't complain much either.

As the pair was getting ready for bed, the slight crack of a twig caught both sets of ears.

Ian looked around, trying to find the source of the sound. Firecracker was looking around, his head moving in little jerks, his eyes superior to Ian's in the dim light.

Another cracking sound came from straight ahead of them. Firecracker, who Ian trained to remain passive when a human was near but not threatening, was growling darkly, his pupils slitting. Ian, trusting the dragon's judgement, hid behind a tree, and waited.

A second later, a humanoid figure stepped into the clearing. Ian could clearly see the figure's pale skin in the dim light, and it was too pale for a normal human. He lunged at the figure, grabbing the figure's neck, eliciting a startled cry from the figure, and pinning them to the ground.

"Don't move," Ian said in a low-pitched voice, holding the point of his knife against the back of the figure's rib cage.

The figure stayed still. Ian saw, getting a good look at the figure beneath him, that this was a girl, no more than a year or two older than himself. The skin was indeed very pale. Her hair was jet black, and she wore an equally black dress.

"Please don't kill me," the girl begged. When the girl spoke, Ian saw something that confirmed everything he suspected.

 _Fangs._ She was a vampire.

But, surprisingly, this vampire girl didn't seem to resist Ian's secure hold. She seemed willing to cooperate.

"I will if I have to," Ian said. "And if you even just _try_ to kill _me_ , my dragon _will_ kill _you_."

The girl seemed bewildered, trying to turn her head to see the dragon.

"Firecracker," Ian said. "Here, boy." The dragon melted out of the shadows, growling lowly. The girl gasped.

"I'm going to let you up now," Ian said. "Get up slowly, no sudden movements." The girl complied, her movements slow. She turned to see her attacker.

Ian looked the girl over. She didn't seem like a threat, but he knew well that looks can be deceiving.

"Who are you?" Ian asked sternly.

"My name is Mavis," the girl answered, not moving.

"Are you a vampire?"

The girl started to back away.

"I'll take that as a yes. Am I correct?" Ian asked.

The girl nodded.

Ian sighed. There was no way he would kill someone without just cause, no matter who, or what, they were.

"Alright, Mavis, I'll make you a deal," Ian said. The girl stopped backing away. At least she was willing to listen. "If you don't try to hurt either me or my dragon, we won't try to hurt you. Does that sound fair?"

Mavis nodded.

"Good. Very good. My name is Ian," Ian said as he put his knife away, and extended his hand. Mavis took it and shook Ian's hand. Ian turned his back to the girl, and finished making preparations for bed. firecracker relaxed, going back to his spot on the ground, near the fire. He sat out the sleeping mat and sat a rolled up blanket at one end, and sat down on it next to the fire. "Come, have a seat," he said, gesturing to the spot on the mat next to him.

Mavis looked at him suspiciously, but nevertheless cautiously made her way over to the boy and sat down next to him.

"So, Mavis, I'm sorry about the whole, threatening-to-kill-you thing. We've just been traveling for a while, and we left because we had a bounty on our heads. I had to make sure you weren't going to try to kill us."

"That's okay. I understand. What did you do to get a bounty on you?" Mavis asked him. At least she seemed willing to hold a conversation.

"I befriended a dragon, which the mayor views as a form of witchcraft. I tried to explain that it was just a friendship based on trust, but he wouldn't listen. What about you? Why are you running around here?"

"Pretty much for the same reason as you; I'm on-the-run, hiding from humans who try to kill me."

Firecracker yawned, his maw gaping, teeth gleaming in the firelight.

"I agree, bud," Ian said, stretching before turning to face Mavis. "You're more than welcome to sleep on this mat. I'll sleep underneath Firecracker's wing."

"Oh, okay," Mavis said, shocked by this display of kindness. "Th-thank you." Ian just smiled at the girl, before Firecracker lowered his wing, enveloping him in darkness. Ian snuggled up against the dragon's side, the warmth from the fire inside him keeping him warm.

He fell asleep quickly.


	3. Chapter 3

In the morning, Ian woke up and lay in the dark silence beneath Firecracker's wing. As he slowly fought of the sleepy haze in his mind, he remembered the vampire girl from last night, and pat the dragon's side. Firecracker lifted his wing, allowing Ian to step out into the morning light.

Ian stretched, his back cracking. Looking around, he noticed that Mavis was gone.

 _Well_ he thought _If vampires exist, then I suppose that the legends of the fatal allergy to sunlight is true as well._

Ian saw that his sleeping mat had a body-shaped impression on it, indicating that Mavis had taken up his offer to sleep on it. Turning around, he saw Firecracker yawn tiredly, his set of fangs gleaming in the morning sun.

"Well, bud, it looks like it's just you and me today." The dragon seemed to smile. He did not have what humans called lips, just ever-bared teeth, but the look in his eyes and demeanor had said it all.

The pair went for a walk in the thick woods, and they found lake, and went fishing. Well, it technically could be called "fishing". Firecracker would shoot a blast of flame at the water, sending up a gigantic splash of liquid. Then he would fly through the cascade and come out the other side with a few fish in his jaws or skewered on his talons.

Eventually, nightfall came. Ian and Firecracker lounged around their camp, watching the sunset.

"You smell like smoked fish," Ian said. Firecracker grunted and rolled his eyes. Ian leaned back against Firecracker's scaly side and dozed off.

An unknown amount of time later, Ian felt something whack him in the head, sending him toppling over.

"Firecracker!" The dragon growled, and threw his saddle at Ian, nearly hitting the boy in the face. Ian managed to dodge the large object in the dim light. "What is the matter with you?!" Firecracker roared lightly and pushed Ian over to his cloak and crossbow. "He-Hey! Okay, okay, alright, I'm going! I'm going! Sheesh!" Ian sensed that Firecracker was hearing something that he couldn't. Legends and lore stated clearly that dragons were highly intelligent creatures with superior senses compared to those of a human.

Ian threw on his cloak and quickly saddled and mounted Firecracker, and secured his crossbow to its holster on the right side of the saddle. Firecracker needed no encouragement to take off, shooting up the instant Ian attached his safety cords. Ian felt the straps stretch, straining from his weight.

Twenty seconds later, the pair leveled out. Ian looked around at the night sky.

"Okay, I'm up here. What exactly did you want me to see?" Firecracker banked to face the nearby town that Ian visited yesterday. Down below, the boy saw a large pile of wood and small glowing flames moving around in the town square, which he attributed to torches being held by townspeople. In the middle of the pile of wood, he saw a small black spot. The smell of garlic was prominent.

"Firecracker, get us closer. Give me another pass. There's something I wanna see." The young dragon grunted and banked hard to the left, giving Ian a closer look. Thanks to his dark cloak and the dragon's black hide, none of the townspeople below saw the pair that was flying above them.

Looking back at the woodpile, Ian got a better look at the black spot in the wood pile.

Mavis. She was tied to a post, a distressed look on her face.

"Ah, man," Ian muttered. "Firecracker, let me down, but hover overhead. I might need you." The dragon grunted, and glided down to a clearing. Ian slid off, and Firecracker took wing, hovering over the town.

Ian walked back to the town, his crossbow in hand. Once there, he saw there was what seemed to be the entire town in the streets, all focused on the vampire. Everyone was wearing necklaces made of garlic.

"HO THERE!" Ian hollered, raising his hand in greeting. The crowd turned to see the new arrival.

"Who are you?" A large man stepped forward. Ian presumed him to be the leader of the crowd.

Ian paused. There was a good chance that these people heard about what occurred in New Jersey.

"I asked you a question, boy," the man said. "Who are you?"

"You may call me 'Ian'," the boy said. "What is it that you have going on here?"

"We caught a vampire lurking about," The large man said. "You came to us when we were about to ignite its pyre."

Ian turned to face the girl who was tied to the stake in the wood pile. "Ah, I remember you," he said, nodding slowly as he strode through the crowd as they parted with him. Mavis slowly looked up and made eye contact with the familiar human. "We meet again." Ian turned to the crowd and paced slowly. "This vampire paid me a visit to my camp last night. I managed to ward the creature off, with a little help from a good friend of mine."

"Who is this _friend_ of yours," a woman asked. "Surely one who can fight off a vampire is very powerful, or uses some sort of sorcery. Are you a wizard?"

"No, I'm not a wizard. As for my friend: He's watching over me right now," Ian said, glancing upwards. "Probably making sure I do not do anything overly stupid."

"You are very fortunate that the Lord kept you safe in the presence of such evil," the woman said, stepping forward.

"Actually, no," Ian said, holding up a hand. "My protector is no supernatural being." He pursed his lips and gave a shrill whistle. "Firecracker! Come on down, buddy!" A large shriek echoed across the sky, attracting the people's attention. The crowd yelled and backed away quickly as the large, black, winged creature descended. Firecracker landed gracefully, his wings flapping to slow his decline. He touched down and looked to face his human, and crooned, sniffing Ian to make sure he was alright. "Yes, yes, it is good to see you too. Though I was away from you for just five minutes, ya know." Firecracker didn't care how long they were apart. His human could have gotten hurt during that time.

Ian turned to the crowd. "Everyone, I would like you all to meet Firecracker." Firecracker sniffed at the mass of people curiously. Turning his head slowly, Ian saw mostly concerned faces with some of pure fear. "He won't hurt you. He's quite docile when he's not being threatened or guarding me." Firecracker got bored and started to walk around, exploring his surroundings.

Ian noticed a familiar face in the crowd. "Hello, Rosalie." The young woman gave a small wave. Ian turned and saw Firecracker doing something he shouldn't be doing. "Firecracker, get off of that house before you cave the roof in!" The dragon growled, and slunk off the building reluctantly. "Stubborn dragon." He turned back to the crowd. "I'll take this vampire off of your hands. I'll fly off with her and make sure she doesn't ever return."

"What will you do to it?" The lead man said.

"I'll leave her out in a clearing, and let the sun do the rest," Ian said as if it were no big deal. Mavis gasped in horror. Firecracker belched loudly, sending out a small jet of flame. Ian gave an amused snort.

The lead man nodded. "How can we be sure that you won't come back and attack us with your dragon?"

"I understand where you are coming from," Ian said, holding up a pacifying hand. "But do not fear. I am on a mission to promote peace and safety. Attacking this town would be sort of redundant towards that cause."

The lead man nodded. "If no one is opposed to the offer..." No one spoke up. "You may take the vampire away from us."

Ian smiled. "Here, Firecracker!" The dragonlet bounded over and crouched, allowing Ian to climb up. Firecracker rose to his full height of ten feet, and spread his wings. He conducted a controlled hover over to the wood pile and picked up the post that Mavis was tied to. Ian tapped his heels against Firecracker's sides and the dragon shot up, carrying the post. At the height of their climb, he shot out a blast of fire, and soared back to camp.

* * *

After setting the post down gently, Firecracker landed. The post rolled slightly, gently pressing Mavis into the ground. Ian unclipped the safety straps and slid off from saddle. He didn't take the saddle off though. Instead he strode over to Mavis and removed his knife.

"If you're going to kill me, don't leave me in the sun," Mavis said. "Take that there knife and rip my heart out. It will be less painful compared to being left out in the sun." Ian knelt and slashed the ropes binding her to the post. Then he sheathed his knife and turned away, walking to the pile of equipment and started to pack it.

"You are more than welcome to come with us," Ian said.

"Why would you want a vampire to accompany you?" Mavis said, rising.

"This is how I see it," Ian said, pausing from packing the saddlebags. "Two days ago, I gave you the perfect opportunity to hurt me. But you did not take that opportunity. I feel I can trust you. You need to trust me. If you come with us, you will be a heck of a lot safer than you would be if you were alone."

Mavis thought for a bit as Ian continued to pack. When he finished, Ian rose and attached the bags to the saddle. "You coming?"

Mavis sighed and stepped forward. "You're the only human who has ever been nice to me. I guess I should stay with you." Ian smiled and took Mavis' hand so he could help her up into the saddle. Firecracker growled slightly, suspicious of this new female. She didn't smell like anything he had smelled before.

"Easy, Firecracker, easy," Ian said gently. "This is Mavis, and she will be traveling with us. You need to be nice to her." Firecracker just snarled at Ian, swung at his human's head with his tail, and roared disapprovingly. "Hey! I know you don't want to carry any more weight, and that you don't like Mavis, for whatever reason, but how would you feel if we left Mavis here and she got killed?" The dragon growled. He didn't care what happened to this thing, which wasn't human, even though it looked like one.

"Are you sure I can come with you?" Mavis said. "I don't think your dragon likes me very much."

"He'll survive," Ian said. "And, yes, I'm sure you can come with us. In case you haven't noticed, I'm not one to leave someone behind who has done nothing to me." Mavis nodded, understanding. "Firecracker, you need to be nice to Mavis." The dragon glared at his human. Had he lost his mind.

Ian helped Mavis up onto the saddle and made sure she was comfortably seated before swinging himself up. Firecracker rose and stretched out his wings.

"Mavis, you are going to want to hang on tight," Ian said, turning his head back to her. "From the time I made the saddle, Firecracker has gone fast during takeoff."

"Okay..." Mavis said, carefully placing her hands on Ian's shoulders. The sudden jerk upwards nearly pulled her off. Her arms encircled Ian's torso, pulling herself closer to him, burying her face in his shoulder.

Ian smiled, Ian reaching back to comfort her. "Hold on." He paused. "And don't even try to bite my neck. I need that."

"Not funny," Mavis growled, feeble as it was. "I'm literally terrified."

"You'll get used to it,' Ian said as Firecracker leveled out. "Just look at this."

"I'm not looking," Mavis said. "I'm scared out of my mind."

Ian shrugged. "We'll be airborne for a while. It's a long time until daybreak, and that's a long time until you open your eyes."

True to her word, Mavis kept her eyes shut until they landed. Ian would have sworn, since her grip lessened somewhat, that she had fallen asleep.

That day, after Ian had made camp, he offered Mavis the spot beneath Firecracker's wing.

"Thanks," She said.

Ian nodded. "Not at all a problem. I'll keep watch."

Mavis nodded, before approaching the scary-looking dragon. Firecracker, yawned, exposing rows of dagger-like teeth, then raised his wing, allowing the inhuman girl to crawl beneath.


	4. Chapter 4

Ian woke up to dragon yawning in his face.

"Hey, bud," he said, rubbing the dragon's snout. "Sun's going down. Time to eat. Should we wake up Mavis?" Firecracker rolled his large, golden-yellow eyes. His human really did have some sort of affinity for the girl.

"I'm awake, Ian," her voice said from beneath the black wing. "Has the sun set yet?"

"Ah," Ian said, glancing to the west. "Yeah, mostly. No sunlight reaching the ground. Just the tops of the trees." Ian motioned to Firecracker, who raised his wing slightly. Mavis timidly peaked out from beneath the black tent and smiled.

Ian glanced up from his pack. "I don't know much about vampires, but how often do you have to feed?"

"About once a week, or so," Mavis said, standing up, and stretching her stiff joints. "It depends on what I've last eaten."

"And, when have you last eaten?"

"Three days ago."

Ian thought to himself for a moment. "Do you have to have human blood, or will other kinds suffice?"

"It doesn't have to be human, though some type of mammal is best." Satisfied with the answer, Ian nodded. "Ian, I know you're nervous about traveling with me. I can understand that."

"I'm not overly worried," Ian said. "I'm surely confident that you won't try to hurt me."

"It would be kind of stupid for me to do so, with your dragon, and all," Mavis mussed. Ian chuckled in agreement as he slid the crossbow into its holster on the saddle.

"Here, Firecracker," Ian said. The dragon strode over, curiously sniffing. "Down." Firecracker sank on all fours to allow the saddle to be strapped on.

Mavis walked around the dragon, looking at the beast's form. It was a graceful animal, though it was terrifying. Its wings were just as black as the rest of the body. Framing the edge of the wing was a long finger. Two more fingers were actually inside the skin that made up the wing, supporting the membrane, stretching it tight. A small thumb was on the outside of the wing, at the joint that would be a wrist in a hand, and had a claw tapering to a sharp point.

Firecracker rose up on his hind limbs, the saddle securely strapped in place.

"You ready, Mavis?" Ian asked, sliding on his cloak. Mavis nodded, and walked up to Firecracker, who sniffed her distrustfully. Ian helped her up onto the saddle, and swung himself up.

Strapping himself in, he felt Mavis' head press against his shoulder. Smiling, he tapped Firecracker's sides with his heels, sending the three of them into the air.

* * *

Ian looked around, hunting for a place to land. They had flown for a long time, almost all night. Ian was actually quite hungry, and was going to take Firecracker hunting. The dragon flapped his wings easily, maintaining a steady altitude. Mavis had seemed to grow comfortable riding on on Firecracker, for he sensed her uneasiness, and kept a constant speed and rhythm.

Ian whistled, sending Firecracker down to land. He alighted on the edge of a small cavern in the side of a mountain ridge. Ian slid off, Mavis following behind him. Sliding his crossbow out of its holster, Ian turned to Mavis.

"I'm going hunting," he said, retrieving a few bolts from his packs. "I'll be back in an hour, or so."

"Okay," Mavis said quietly.

"Firecracker will stay here, so you won't be alone," Ian continued. Mavis simply nodded, fearfully staring out of the mouth of the cave.

Ian stared at her for a moment, before turning out of the cave, and walked out into the forest.

* * *

The next night, Ian and Mavis flew along on Firecracker, heading north. Ian looked around, hunting for a human settlement. Suddenly, Firecracker growled, his body tensing.

Ian leaned forward, and asked quietly "What is it, boy? What's wrong?"

The dragonet snarled and angled downward sharply.

"What's happening?!" Mavis shrieked, her arms clenching around Ian's torso tightly, nearly squeezing all of the air out of his lungs.

"Ma-Mavis," Ian gasped out.

Mavis quickly to Ian's shoulder so he could breathe. "Sorry."

"It's fine," Ian said. "Firecracker is taking us somewhere. I don't know where, exactly."

Mavis was silent as she continued to cling tightly to Ian as they rode the dragon down.

As they neared the ground, Firecracker rotated his body and flapped his wings to control his landing. His clawed feet touched the ground gently, almost cautiously. Ian took one look straight ahead, and unclipped his safety straps. He glanced back at Mavis as he slid off the saddle. "Stay here." Mavis nodded.

Ian strode up to the gory mass before them, and kneeled down. The black-haired child, no older than ten, was covered in lines of red, blood dripping down her face from a cut in her forehead, as well as her arms. Ian placed his fingers to the child's neck, and felt the faint pulse. Looking at her clothing, which was made of tanned animal hides, Ian deduced that she was Native American.

Mavis strode up quietly behind him. "Is she dead?"

"No," Ian said grimly, looking around the surroundings. There were footprints leading into the forest. "We need to get her back."

"Back where?"

"To her tribe," Ian said, motioning to Firecracker to come near. "Mavis, you need to ride Firecracker by yourself."

"What?!" the vampire cried incredulously.

"Firecracker isn't strong enough to carry three people on his back yet," Ian explained. "You need to ride on his back, and make sure that this girl doesn't fall off. Walking her to her tribe is out of the question. I don't know where they are, and we don't have much time to locate them. She could die within a few hours."

"Where will you ride?"

"I can ride in Firecracker's claws. He's done it before, and it's more natural for him to do it that way anyway."

"Alright."

Nodding grimly, Ian gently picked up the girl.

* * *

"You two okay up there?!" Ian yelled.

"I think so!" Mavis replied.

Ian was clasped between two sets of pitch black claws, right below his dragon. Mavis sat in the saddle, the Native American girl lying in front of her, her head on Mavis' lap. Firecracker raced along right above the treeline, following the scent from the girl, for she still smelled like her people.

Firecracker roared, getting Ian's attention.

"What is it, bud?" he yelled.

Firecracker snarled and jerked his head forward. Ian looked ahead and saw several columns of white, wispy smoke rising up from glowing spots in a grove of trees.

"Mavis, hang on! Go, Firecracker, GO!" Ian yelled, urging his dragon to go faster. Firecracker's wings obliged, forcing them forward, picking up speed. Mavis felt the wind pulling her hair back, her eyes involuntarily squinting from the speed.

Down in the Native American camp, a woman with black hair had her face buried in her hands, weeping. Her husband sat in their wigwam, comforting her. Their daughter had been taken by a group of white men just the day before.

Suddenly, the people outside started screaming in terror, when a large shadow passed over the moon-lit ground. The woman's husband grabbed his bow and joined the other men outside, who were preparing to defend themselves.

"Ian," Mavis called down to the boy, who was still positioned in Firecracker's claws. "It looks to me like they're preparing to attack us."

"Nooo," Ian called up to the vampire. "I thought that they sent us a welcoming committee."

"I can do without the sarcasm."

Firecracker shook his head and snorted in amusement at the pair.

The dragon flew down slowly, ready to bat away an arrow if it flew near them.

Firecracker touched down cautiously, and released his human. Ian stood up straight and tall. A large Native American man approached him, a stern and slightly fearful expression on his face.

One can imagine Ian's surprise when the man, whom Ian presumed to be the chief, spoke near-perfect English. "What are you doing here?"

"I found a child out in the woods, bleeding," Ian said, motioning to the back of the dragon. "I loaded her up and flew around, looking for where she might be from."

The chief glared at the boy in front of him. Ian walked over to the side of the dragon, and gently helped the girl down, Mavis following. The chief's eyes widened, and a man and woman rushed forward, taking the girl from Ian. The chief stared at Ian for a moment. "Walk with me. We need to talk." Ian nodded. and followed, motioning for Mavis and Firecracker to follow.

"I thank you for returning my niece," the chief said. "I am eternally in your debt."

"It was no problem at all," Ian said.

"She was taken by some white men. We have had a few run-ins with them before. They came in from the west, and attacked us by surprise." Ian nodded grimly. Firecracker sensed his rider's discomfort, and nudged him with his large, scaly black head, which earned him a rub on the snout.

"I must ask," the chief said. "How do you control the black beast?"

"I befriended him," Ian replied. "I defended him when he was being attacked. When his attackers turned on me, he picked me up and placed me on his back and flew off."

The chief nodded. "I am Chief Abnaki. You are welcome to stay in this village as long as you wish."

"My name is Ian," the boy said, then gestured to his female companion. "This is Mavis." Ian the placed a hand on his dragon's scaly hide. "And this is Firecracker, my dragon."

"It is a pleasure to meet you all," Chief Abnaki said.

* * *

In the morning, Ian sat on the ground, Firecracker resting next to him. Out of the corner of his eye, Ian noticed a small child peering out from behind his mother at the pair. Ian smiled at the child, and pointed at the dragon. The child nodded timidly. Ian stood up and guided Firecracker over to the child and his mother. The mother, seeming to trust the teenage boy, gently pushed her son closer to the dragon.

Firecracker, curious at this small human hatchling wearing the skins of a furry mammal, who seemed timid, sniffed the air around the boy inquisitively. It wasn't like Firecracker was going to eat the boy. There wasn't much meat on the hatchling for even a small snack.

Ian pointed to the spot of Firecracker's nose where the boy should pet him. The boy reached forward and placed his small hand on Firecracker's snout. The dragon closed his eyes and crooned in pleasure. The boy's mother smiled and came over to stroke Firecracker's head.

Soon, the dragon was surrounded by many human hatchlings, all petting the large beast. Firecracker enjoyed the massive amounts of attention he was receiving, his eyes closed in blissful contentment.

Eventually, the children's parents called them for the midday meal. Firecracker yawned and gave his human a small shove with his snout. Ian turned on his heel to face the ebony beast.

Firecracker batted his wings a few times.

"You wanna go flying, bud?"

The dragon shrieked lightly, making Ian smile.

Ian strapped himself in, and gave Firecracker a small tap with his heels. Firecracker pushed off while shoving with his legs, sending them high into the air. The Native Americans watched from below in awe as the boy rode the fierce-looking beast. Firecracker glided happily along, enjoying the leisurely flight. Ian felt elated too, as he had come to enjoy some would say anticipate, the sensation of flying. Everything from the height, which bothered him at first, to the speed, among many other feelings, all added to the blessed feeling of freedom he relished when in the air.

"C'mon, Firecracker," Ian said, after a while. "Let's go back." Firecracker happily complied, as he wanted to spend some more time with the small, human hatchlings.

That evening, Ian sat with Chief Abnaki in front of the fire, Ian's draconian friend perching on the ground. Ian was telling some of the tribe the story of how he and Firecracker became friends.

"And the this dork," Ian said, jerking his thumb at Firecracker. "Decided to swoop in and basically kidnap me, taking me high into the air." Firecracker rolled his eyes and huffed a breath of smoke at Ian. As if his human hatchling could have rescued his female family member without his help. The crowd laughed lightly in amusement. Ian sighed and continued his story.

"I climbed into the saddle, and we dove straight down. We angled and chased after the men. Since Firecracker is much faster than a horse, we caught up with the group easily. The leader dumped my sister off of his horse when he saw us coming. Firecracker grabbed my sister, and we flew back to the wedding."

Ian then quickly described the short battle that resulted, but intentionally leaving out the part of him currently being hunted.

* * *

Mavis came out from a cave nearby and heard a group of people walking by. They sounded frustrated by the tone of their voices, but she couldn't tell what they were saying. But one sentence came in loud and clear.

"I can't wait to go back and get us a new victim," a male voice said. "I wonder if our last little toy survived."

Mavis' ears perked up at this, and she snuck closer.

"I know," another voice said. This one was deeper than the first. "If she did, i'd like to find her. best time ever I had with her."

Mavis realized that these men were most likely talking about the girl that she and Ian found and rescued. Mavis stormed back to the native American village, desperate to warn everyone.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey, guys. Sorry for the late chapter. I've been working on an original story. Anyway, here's chapter 5.**

* * *

Ian sat with Firecracker perching on the ground behind him, and watched the fire before them. Night had fallen, and they were waiting for Mavis to return. Hearing a sound behind them, they both turned and saw the girl that they had saved walking up to them, her uncle, the chief, behind her.

Ian rose, and walked over.

"Mali has something to say to you," Chief Abnaki said.

" _Oliwni gia,"_ the girl said, smiling timidly.

"She thanks you for bringing her back," the chief said.

Ian smiled. "Please tell her that she is most welcome."

" _K'wlipai8ba_ ," the chief relayed.

Ian offered his hand, and Mali took it shyly. Indi guided the girl over to the black dragon, which was watching them curiously. He rose to his full, ten-foot height, and slowly walked towards them. He recognized the scent of this small, female human; this was the one that sat bleeding all over his hide. He sniffed the air around her, and sensed that she was in a much better condition that she was before. He crooned softly, and turned his head so that she could look right into one of his large, amber-colored eyes.

Ian guided Mali's hand to feel the scaly flesh on the side of Firecracker's jaw. At Firecracker's content growl, Mali laughed, and Indi released her hand, allowing her to continue stroking the ebony dragon's face.

Soon, Mavis burst into the clearing.

"Ian!" she shouted, getting his attention. The boy turned, and saw the young vampire storming towards him.

"Mavis? What's wrong?"

"I think I found the men that hurt that girl."

Ian's face steeled, and several loud, male voices started coming through the trees.

"Take Mali, and get her to a safe place," he said. Mavis nodded, and took the girl that was stroking the dragon back to her parents. "Firecracker, come." The dragon strode up and growled. He sensed a fight coming, aggression radiating from his human.

"Get ready," Ian said, climbing up into the saddle. "We may have to fight."

The black dragon snorted in anticipation, a small cloud of smoke puffed out of his nose. His pupils slitted.

Ian clipped the safety straps into the saddle. "Up, boy. Into the trees."

Firecracker obliged, pushing off from the ground, fluttering a short ways upwards into the dark canopy. A branch took the drakon's weight, creaking, but it did not snap. From this high perch, the pair were well concealed. Firecracker's eyes locked onto a group that was crashing through the brush. They had rough voices. He caught the scent of metal.

Below them, Native Americans got into a fighting stance, hidden behind trees and other forms of cover, arrows already knocked on their bows. Ian took out the crossbow from one of the saddlebags and clipped on a bolt.

Suddenly, a group of thirty white men charged from the trees, sending off gunshots. Several were met with arrows. Just as many Natives dropped. Ian joined the fight and fired his crossbow. The bolt severed a man's Achilles tendon, making him drop like a fly. As Ian reloaded, Firecracker watched the fight below him. Watching closely, he saw some white men locate the shelter where the little girl was being hidden. The men tore down the mammal skin that served as a door, revealing Mali, her mother, and Mavis. Mali's mother clutched her daughter protectively, while mavis stood in front of the two. The dragon snarled, getting Ian's attention.

"What's up, bud?" Firecracker didn't move, so Ian followed to where the dragon's snout was pointing. What he saw made him tense with rage.

"Go, Firecracker, GO!" A loud roar announced their arrival, and many of the white men yelled with terror. Firecracker blasted fire at the men, a burning orange stream that roasted any flesh that was unfortunate enough to meet the blaze. Ian jumped from the saddle, stabbing a man in the shoulder with his knife. Firecracker whipped his tail around, sending three other men flying. The rest of the men regrouped, carrying their wounded to the center of the group. They all stared at the massive beast that had leaped from the trees. The Natives crowded around it, two starkly different forces joined. A black-haired pale-faced girl and a thin, dark-eyed boy stepped in front of the dragon.

"Leave now," Ian said sternly.

"Why?" a blond man said from the group. "We are taking our land, that was given to us by God. We are driving off these inbred savages, which are nothing more than pests."

"He said leave," Mavis said. Ian held up his hand, signaling her to stay quiet.

"Leave now," Ian said, giving Mavis his crossbow, as he stepped forward. The beast followed him. "I trust you would rather not be eaten."

"What we want is this land," the blond man said.

Firecracker roared, stamping his foot, extending his wings slightly. The group of white men faltered.

"You're not getting this land," Ian said plainly. "Now leave. I haven't fed my dragon yet, so I'm quite sure he'd love something to eat." Firecracker growled darkly, licking his fangs.

The blond man furrowed his brow, seeming to figure something out.

"I've heard of you," he said. "My cousin was at a wedding in New Jersey. She sent me a letter about a beast that attacked a group of raiders, a beast that was ridden by the mayor's adopted son. She said there was a bounty on his head." The man grinned. "And now I have found him." Firecracker snapped, his teeth glinting in the light from the moon and the fires. "Get him!" The men advanced, but only got three steps in before a crossbow bolt scored a hit on the lead man, his wrist being punctured, blood gushing out.

Ian glanced back at Mavis, and saw that she was staring back at the man's bleeding wrist, a hungry look in her eyes.

"Oh, no," Ian whispered. "Firecracker get ready." The dragon grunted. "Mavis, are you okay?" She did not answer. Her body started to twitch with anticipation. "GET HIM, MAVIS!"

Mavis leapt forward, leaping on top of her prey. Her fangs bared, she snarled. The man screamed, shoving the vampire from him.

He scrambled to his feet, and the entire throng of gun-toting white men took off.

Ian quickly raced forward, and tackled mavis to the ground.

"Mavis, relax. It's over." Mavis struggled in her mad dash to get her fangs in the man's neck. Ian tried to keep her pinned, but a blast of vampiric strength send him flying backwards. He hit the ground hard, the wind being knocked out of his lungs. Firecracker squawked, and covered the boy with his wing.

Mavis froze, shocked at what she had done. Fearfully, she walked over. "Ian, are you alright? Oh, what did I do?" She ran her hands through her hair.

Firecracker nudged the boy with his black snout. Ian groaned, and cracked a tearful eye. "Why?"

Firecracker snarled as Mavis tried to come closer.

"I-I just... the blood…" She tried to speak, but could not find the words to express just how guilty she felt.

"It's okay," Ian said, groaning as he got to his feet, Firecracker helping by slowly lifting with his snout beneath Ian's arm. "It was a stupid plan on my part. I shouldn't have let you near that man when he bled."

"Are you alright?"

"I'll survive."

The chief came over, and placed a hand on Ian's shoulder.

"Thank you for protecting my people." Ian nodded, a small smile on his face.

An old woman with greying hair walked up to them, a limp in her step.

She motion to the chief and said something to him.

The chief listened for a moment, then nodded. "My grandmother would like to inform you of something." Ian nodded, his face sobering.

The old woman reached into a bag made of animal skin, and walked to the fire. She flung a sort of powder onto the fire making lots of flames and smoke. She then began speaking, every so often pausing so the chief could translate.

" _Never in all my years have I seen fighting such as this. A young woman who is stronger than most men, a boy who fights with skill, fluidity, and ferocity equal to the black beast he rides, which spits fire and is very protective for those its cares about. There is something you must do, young warrior. You must find a beast, the same color as yours, but it is very different."_ A black shadow appeared in the smoke. Flashes of blue appeared in the smoke, and an unearthly screeching filled the air. _Its wings are large, its head flat. It spits lighting, and can fly just as fast. It is known by several names but the most prolific is 'The Unholy Offspring of Lightning and Death itself'. You will ride alongside the Offspring, and in engage in a battle, the likes of which have only been seen one other time."_

"How do I find the Offspring?" Ian asked.

" _Go north,"_ the chief translated. " _It lives on an island surrounded by others of its kind, but there is only one known Offspring."_ Ian nodded as the smoke and the shadow it contained within dissipated.

He turned to Firecracker and mavis. "You two up for a little adventure?"

Mavis nodded, and Firecracker snarled in agreement.

* * *

The next day, as the trio prepared to leave, the chief walked up to them.

"You three are always welcome here. If you need anything just tell us."

Ian dipped his head in appreciation. "Thank you for your hospitality."

The chief nodded. Suddenly, Mali rushed forward, and threw her arms around Ian. Ian wrapped an arm around the girl.

" _Adio, wli nanawalmezi,"_ the girl said.

"She said 'Goodbye, take care of yourself.'"

The girl then dashed up to the black dragon, and rest a small hand on his snout.

" _Adio, Firecracker."_

Ian smiled, then climbed up into the saddle. Firecracker flapped his large, black wings, buffeting the people with gusts of wind.

* * *

Soon, they were flying north, searching for the Unholy Offspring of Lightning and Death itself.


End file.
